


A Cursed Black Cat

by marcbanaba



Series: RWBY Swap Fics That No One Asked For [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Power Swap, F/F, Power Swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:02:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28979337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marcbanaba/pseuds/marcbanaba
Summary: Blake Belladonna was born unlucky. Her semblance was always more of a bane than a blessing. She tried to use that bane to fight with a cause she thought was worth fighting for, but even then that cause was twisted into something unrecognizable.Maybe Beacon would be a new start for Blake. If her semblance won't screw it up...
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: RWBY Swap Fics That No One Asked For [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2125578
Comments: 21
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Making another fic after this because I can't control myself and all my schedules (sleep, social, events) are all screwed.
> 
> Made this fic cause I was inspired by someone in Discord. And I love torturing my favorite characters for angst.
> 
> Maybe in a future fic I'll be nice to Ruby and give her a cool semblance like Moonslice. Or be mean and give her something like Marcus Black's semblance and have everyone distrust her.
> 
> Although Mind Control would do the same job...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Beacon

Blake was surprised her entrance to Beacon went that smoothly.

She expected something to go wrong, of course, but everything went fine. Ozpin hadn't immediately seen through her forged documents and had the Vale police hunt her down, Adam hadn't found out where she was going and had the White Fang hunt her down-

So of course, as she stepped off the Bullhead (that miraculously stayed in one piece despite some turbulence and some kid throwing up on someone's shoes) she was prepared for her semblance to do something _especially_ bad, like the school to spontaneously combust or a giant Grimm dragon emerging and eating everyone.

Then something exploded, and a bottle of fire dust lands on Blake's feet.

"You dolt!" A voice Blake barely recognized, only placing that voice to a face because said face was the heiress of the most corrupt organization in Remnant. "This is what I was talking about! You could have blown us off the cliff!"

"I am _so_ sorry!" Another voice sheepishly apologized. Looking around the corner, she sees a short girl wearing a black dress and a red cloak, and Weiss Schnee. Daughter of Jacques Schnee. The man who's practically the face of anti-faunus sentiment on Remnant.

Blake has the urge to put the Schnee down a few pegs. It won't knock her off her high horse, but at the very least cutting in would annoy her. But...

Blake walks away, carefully avoiding the bottle of dust like it would explode if she goes near it. Which it might. Her semblance was far too dangerous for her to be close to people, and while she may not care much for Weiss Schnee she doesn't want to have anyone hurt- or worse yet, _killed_ , in the fallout if her semblance were to take affect. She quickly walks away.

Nearby, Jaune Arc accidentally slips on a bottle of dust left on the path, leaving him groaning as he hits his head as he falls. He passes out a moment later, concussed.

Not much farther, a dejected Ruby Rose lies on the street feeling sorry for herself. No one comes to help her up.

Walking away from the stupid girl, Weiss goes over her dust and almost shrieks in frustration. She has barely any dust left! A measly amount of Ice, and no Fire at all! Of course she could get some more if she goes to a dust shop in Vale, but now she has barely any dust for Initiation! It was infuriating! What extraordinary bad luck running into that girl!

* * *

Blake wakes up slowly, yawning as she stretched her arms. She was _far_ from the others, sleeping as far as she could from the rest of the teens. It wasn't comfortable- far from it, but she didn't want to risk it with her semblance. She recognized the girl who was shouted at by the Schnee, but the silver-eyed girl didn't approach her at all. She had no reason to anyway.

She quickly bathes and dresses up, goes to her locker and gets Gambol Shroud. She tries to avoid everyone as she does all this, but her heightened Faunus senses can't help but pick up on some gossip.

"Did you hear? Someone tried sneaking into Beacon-"

"-dude forged his transcripts and everything-"

"-heard that he didn't even have any aura and got caught cause he didn't even know what it was-"

"-slipped and got a concussion-"

"-oodwitch asked why he didn't activate his-"

"-sent home! Think his name was John or something?"

Well, that was unfortunate for 'John'. Blake quickly goes to the cliffs for Initiation. The gossip's pretty interesting though. Blake wondered what would have happened if John was able to sneak into Beacon, then shrugged.

If the rumors were true and John really didn't have any aura, then he was lucky that he was found out before he could even go to Initiation. There was no way he would have survived.


	2. Murphy's Law

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOO
> 
> I am on my sixth cup of soda/energy drink/coffee mix, and before my heart gives out I'd like to thank you all for your support and my million dollar inheritance goes to
> 
> For real, thank you for the amazing support. I'm honestly surprised that this many of you like these fics. Thank you all.

Initiation starts off without a hitch.

Ren supposed he shouldn't be surprised, but he can't help but be paranoid- Murphy's Law and all that.

Still, at least he has some semblance of a plan- even though he's quite sure sloths don't make any 'sloth noises'. Perhaps it would be better to keep an ear out for 'Nora noises' instead.

As he walks through the forest, he hears growling from his left. Turning around, he looks at the source, or source _s._ Beowolves, a whole pack of them.

He sighs as he draws Stormflower. Right, anything that _can_ go wrong, _will_ go wrong.

* * *

Initiation was going _great!_

Yeah, Ruby _just_ landed, but to be fair she lasted five minutes in Beacon before she was abandoned by her sister, shouted at and then blown up, before being left on the curb trying not to _cry-_

But that's all in the past! Which was only yesterday! It's time for Crescent Rose to do the talking, and nothing was going to stop her!

Except for the King Taijutu behind her.

"Aw crumbs..." Ruby mutters, aiming Crescent Rose at the two-headed Grimm.

She hoped she could find Yang before fighting a Grimm _this_ big, but no plan survives contact with the enemy.

Or at least that was what dad said.

* * *

Breaking through the trees with her shield to slow down her momentum, Pyrrha lands on a sturdy branch and transforms Milo, scouting the area around her.

Inwardly, she thought back to her conversation with Weiss. Going to Beacon was supposed to be a fresh start for her, but she should have expected that her reputation as 'The Invincible Girl' to follow her from Mistral. 

Still, a fresh start was only _half_ the reason to become a huntress. Helping people was still her priority, and that meant passing Initiation, studying and training for four years and graduating from the academy. More of a list of things to do than a plan, but she can work on the specifics after she passes.

Besides, she still needed to find a partner. Hopefully she gets one who has no idea who she is. Realistically? Probably not, but maybe somewhere...

* * *

In a bullhead back to Vale, Jaune pauses feeling sorry for himself just long enough to sneeze, then begins his self loathing anew. What a loser.

* * *

Weiss was internally growing more and more anxious about her dust supply. Yes, she was lucky enough that her Electric dust had managed to be untouched, but Fire and Ice? The former was all destroyed or missing, and there was barely any left of the latter.

Still, a Schnee makes due with the tools at hand. Her dust supply, while meager, should still be enough to pass Initiation if she was careful-

Snarling and gunfire, with the occasional howl of pain. Someone was fighting.

Weiss briefly considered going the other way. But what kind of huntress would she be if she just leaves someone potentially in need of help?

Weiss makes up her mind. She goes towards the fighting. At the very least Weiss hopes it's not going to be that red-hooded dunce that's in trouble. With how her luck's going right now, it might very well be.

* * *

Ruby huffed and puffed to catch her breath. Taking down that Grimm was... hard. At least it's dead.

Now, to look for-

_**Crack.** _

"Whoa!-"

Something fell on top of Ruby. But judging from the sound it made before falling on her face, it's probably some _one_.

"Sorry!" Looking up, she saw the girl that fell on top of her. "I could have _sworn_ that branch was tougher than it looked."

"Hack... Can't... _breathe..._ " The girl was _heavy_.

"Oops! Sorry again!" The girl gets up from on top of her. "I was just going around, looking for Rennie and then I saw you fighting that _giant_ Grimm and so I stuck around and when you used that giant scythe and cut off it's head it was _awesome_ and-" Wow. She talked a lot. "-I'm Nora what's yours?"

"Uuuhh, what?" Ruby asks, finally getting up.

"Your _name_ silly! Unless you want me to give you a nickname? I can do that!"

"Wait wait wait!" Ruby says, holding a hand out before Nora could give her a name like 'Reddie" or something. "I'm Ruby! Ruby Rose! Pleasure to meet you...?"

"Heya Ruby! C'mon, let's go!" Nora says, gesturing for Ruby to follow her.

"Oh yeah, the relics!" Ruby almost forgot about those. "You're right, let's go partn-"

"The relics? Not _now._ " Nora says, turning to Ruby. "We still have to find Rennie!"

"...Who?"

"Rennie! He's my friend! We've been together- but _not_ together-together- for sooo long! He was supposed to be my partner, but you'll do!" Nora explains with a smile on her face.

"Oh..." Ruby's face falls a little. So she was _second_ pick, huh? That's not disheartening at all.

Okay maybe a little bit.

She trudges after her skipping partner, head down. At least she _has_ a partner now, even if she has no tact.

"Hope Yang's doing better in the partner department..."

* * *

"C'mon, while I was falling here I saw an old ruin. Think that's where the relics are?"

"Probably." Blake answers, walking behind her new partner. Yang was nice and friendly enough. Looks like her semblance didn't intervene here this time.

While it should have brought Blake relief, it just made her anxious. Just what _did_ her semblance do?

Best not think about it too hard, otherwise she'll just end up thinking that every freak accident on Remnant was somehow her fault. She follows Yang to the ruin. It shouldn't be that hard to find, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pyrrha's brand new partner being a mystery is *definitely* planned and not because I have no idea who she'll be partnered up with yet. Ha ha ha.


	3. Partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ITS BEEN TWO WEEKS IM SORRY

"Are you _sure_ this is where the relics are?"

"Positive! Now come, you're lagging behind."

Ren sighs, following his... partner, Weiss Schnee. He knows who she is- even if he didn't at first, Weiss would have reminded him. Multiple times.- but it was still jarring actually meeting her.

As in he was surprised how... bratty the heiress is.

Nora was childish and sometimes could be too much to deal with, but at least she was endearing and Ren was used to his friends antics. Weiss was just...

"Come on! We don't have all day..."

She was bossy, so sure of everything and how much she knew, already taking charge and 'leading' him towards a direction to where she 'knew' where the relics are. The only reason he hasn't walked away was on the off-chance that Weiss actually knew where she was going (which was increasingly becoming less of a possibility since he was pretty sure that they've passed that oak tree four times already) and the fact that they actually _were_ partners now. There's nothing he can do to change that.

He sighs again, frustrated. He only hopes that he and Nora can be in the same team...

* * *

Nora was feeling great! She wasn't kicked out of Beacon, she was _in_ Beacon, she was going through Initiation and got a new partner! (Her partner wasn't Ren, but she was still pretty neat!) Life was going great!

"Come on Ruby! We still have to find Renny!" Nora says, looking behind her to see her brand new partner. Sure, Ruby looked young and was a _little_ sulky, but that doesn't matter! She decapitated a giant snake Grimm! Twice! Nora hated those things. With a passion. It wasn't even because of some deep seated trauma.

She just hated them.

Where was she? Right! Initiation, Beacon, Partner, Ren, a giant Nevermore-

A giant Nevermore?

There was, indeed, a giant Nevermore circling above the two girls. The oversized bird screeched at them and swooped down.

Nora and Ruby pulled out Magnihild and Crescent Rose, almost in sync. Nora wasn't _too_ worried about their odds. She saw what Ruby did to the King Taijutu, and Nora can give _any_ Grimm a run for their money.

They'll have to make this quick though. Ren's still somewhere out there, and they still need to find him.

It was hard though. If only she had a plane- ooh! Or a giant bird- that can go over the forest, then they can get a good look of where Renny is!

Too bad the only thing that can fly is the Nevermore trying to kill them.

...

"Ruby, I have a _great_ idea!"

* * *

Pyrrha had no idea what to think about her new partner.

Her partner was... well, her partner was _quiet_ , which Pyrrha _supposed_ was alright (is that offensive? Best not to say it out loud) but she had a feeling that was because she was mute. There was also her appearance. There wasn't anything _wrong_ with what she looked, just...

Well, she just looked silly with dyed hair and two different contacts. At least, she assumed they were dyes and contacts.

Then there was her weapon. An umbrella with a hidden blade seemed lackluster compared to other weapons, (she's sure she saw a girl with a sword that can set itself on fire) but the girl had handled herself when she came across and locked eyes with her.

Which came to Pyrrha's last observation.

Her partner just seemed too _into_ killing the Grimm. Yes, they were soulless beasts that have hunted mankind for centuries, but-

Well, her partner was _smiling_ while tearing those Beowolves apart.

Still, she did _just_ meet Neo. Maybe Pyrrha just needed to get to know her better! Her mother always said to never judge a book by its cover after all.

Besides, Neo obviously wanted to be a huntress if she was here in Beacon. At worst, her partner just enjoyed hurting Grimm.

Pyrrha sighed as she walked with her partner, her worries alleviated. She was just being nervous, that's all. Besides, what ulterior motive could Neo be hiding? It's not like she was planning to destroy the school.

She was just worried over nothing.

* * *

Blake hummed to herself as she and Yang come across the ruins that Yang saw. Inside, Blake could make out chess pieces.

"Think those are the relics?" Blake asks, turning to her partner.

Yang smirked. "Either that or someone's _really_ forgetful and just left these here."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Just seems so easy." 

"What? Wanted more of a challenge?"

"Kinda. More like expecting some trouble."

"Come on Blakey! Don't be so cynical." Yang says, turning and walking to the ruins, beckoning Blake over. "Be more optimistic!"

Blake sighs. She knows Yang was just trying to help, but she couldn't help _but_ be cynical. She knows her semblance was preparing something, she just didn't know _what_.

* * *

"Are you _sure_ this is where the relic is?"

"Of course! Don't ask so many questions. Come on, I've already made a torch. That relic _must_ be in that cave."

* * *

"Nora, I don't think this is a good _iiddeeaaaaa-!"_

_"Wheeeeeee!"_

* * *

"..." Pyrrha stays silent, content.

"..." Neo stays silent, ominously.

* * *

"You coming Blake?" Yang asks, turning to her partner.

"Yeah." Blake says, her thoughts shoved to the back of her mind. Whatever her semblance tosses at her, she could deal with when it comes. Right now, she has to pass Initiation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was either an oc, Neo or Cardin. I couldn't write as Cardin (asshole characters are not my forte) so Neopolitan it was. I was tempted to use an oc, but that feels too self-inserty. Maybe in another fic.
> 
> Also the reason why Neo's here? It'll be revealed soon enough.


	4. The Gang's All Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cursed Black Cat is actually the only fic that doesn't really have a plot line. HaM and Two Souls has thrown canon off the rails but I already have a basic idea on how they go plot-wise, but this fic's basically me going "fuck it, I'll write whatever I want". I might have the Fall happen, I might not. Yang might lose an arm, she might not.
> 
> A semblance that plays with fate gives me the opportunity to do whatever I want and call it "bad luck", even if Neo in Beacon was purely self-indulgent.

Nora knew what it looked like.

A maniacally smiling girl, with a grenade launcher (that can turn into a _badass_ hammer) strapped on her back, riding on a Nevermore's back, with another small, red-hooded girl holding onto said giant grimm-birds feathers for dear life.

It looked _totally awesome_.

"This is _totally awesome_!" Nora repeats, grinning like a loon, attempting to steer the Nevermore left and making the Grimm turn right.

" _Not_ awesome, _not_ awesome, _definitely not awesome!_ " Ruby shouts, looking at her insane partner. She has to admit it was _kinda_ awesome...

But she'd rather lie than make Nora think that riding a Nevermore is in any way a _good idea_. She could already feel her fingers slipping!-

"Aw c'mon partner! Everything's totally under control!" Nora says, and, feeling the giant bird try and shake them off again, grabs the 'reins' (a handful of feathers in each hand really) and pulls. "Steady boy!"

The Nevermore, feeling the crazy human pull at it's feathers and not dropping off like _good_ meatbags, turns to find the nearest cliff to smear them against, which happened to be near the ruins housing the relics.

"See Ruby? Told ya it would be fine..." Nora turns to where Ruby _should_ be.

Instead there was just air and a few torn feathers.

"Ruby?"

* * *

Neo thought this part of the job would be boring.

Boss wouldn't have risked something as dumb like sneaking into Beacon. The only reason they even agreed to this stupid plan was because fire bitch 'hired' them for their services- as in she threatened them with bodily harm and sweetened the deal with lots of Lien.

 _"Infiltrate Beacon Neo, blah blah blah, need a mole right under Ozpin's nose, blah blah blah, Neo listen to me or I'll burn you alive blah blah blah."_ Really, if Cinder wanted to get into Beacon so badly, she could just do it herself.

But again, bodily harm and lots of Lien.

So Neo sucked it up, got on an airship to Beacon, stopped multiple murders by restraining herself, and prepared for a half-assed 'Initiation' that's probably a 'demonstration of their skills' where Neo probably wouldn't even get to kill someone.

Instead, the headmaster of Beacon (who Neo had always thought kept that cane of his up his ass) _threw a bunch of teenagers off a cliff, and into a Grimm-infested forest,_ to get a bunch of stupid relics.

The last bit was a bit of a mood-killer, but hey! This infiltration thing was better than she thought.

Especially after nabbing _Pyrrha Nikos_ as her partner...

Neo smiled, an ominous thing unseen by The Invincible Girl. Yes, a lot better indeed.

Pyrrha looks up, and gasps suddenly, pointing up at the sky. Neo looks up, and sees a red blur, falling from... a Nevermore? Probably some dumb kid the Grimm had dropped.

Her partner had already began running to where the unlucky teen was going to land, with Neo quickly following.

If she got there quick enough, she might get to see them go **_splat_**.

* * *

In a twist of fate, Weiss and Ren actually _were_ approaching the ruins along with everyone else.

They were also running away from what they _thought_ was a relic as well.

Of course, they were more aware of the latter than the former.

The Deathstalker chasing them really didn't care either way.

* * *

All things considered, Yang thought that nabbing the relics was surprisingly easy.

Some would say _too_ easy, but Yang Xiao-Long wasn't one of those people anyway.

As she and her partner get in the ruins, Yang looks around. Not like there was much to look at. Just broken stone, the columns holding the relics, and the relics themselves.

Grabbing two cute little horse pieces, she tosses one to Blake. "C'mon, the sooner we get back, we can..." Yang trails off, noticing Blake wasn't looking at her. Why was she looking up?-

"Heads uuuuuup!"

* * *

Blake knew her semblance was going to do something. She had no idea what series of events happened to have the red-hooded girl she saw yesterday fall from the sky, but she didn't care- she didn't help her when she was being berated by the Schnee, but she wasn't going to let stand by and let someone else _actually_ get hurt.

She had to catch her. By the corner of her eye, she noticed Yang tense up as she finally notices the girl hurtling towards the ground. Looks like her partner has the same idea. Maybe they could-

Before Blake could finish her thought, a missile of white _slammed_ into the red-hooded girl.

Wait, what?

* * *

Weiss groaned. That Deathstalker could hit _hard_. She must have hit a tree or something while she was sent flying, trying to stab it's tail. She could tell she was on the ground, at the very least. Imagine if she got stuck in a tree with a _skirt_ on!

Still, whatever she hit was strangely... soft. Looking down, Weiss suddenly frowned.

Silver eyes. Black dress. Bright red cloak.

" ** _You._** _"_

The bright red annoyance opens it's mouth. "Oh, not you agaaaiiin!"

* * *

Blake blinked, getting a sense of deja vu. "Is that Weiss Schnee?" 

Yang, of course, was more worried about her sister. "Ruby! Are you-?!"

"Is everyone all right?!" A new voice shouts, coming from Pyrrha Nikos (of course Blake knows her, who doesn't?), her weapon in its rifle form, as a small girl with an umbrella skips after her, looks around the field, and pouts, as if disappointed by something.

"Is that Pyrrha Nikos?" Blake asks to herself.

"Wait-" Yang says, trying to get a word in.

"Weiss!" _Another_ voice cuts in, this time a boy wearing green, running from a Deathstalker. The small girl suddenly perks back up.

"Ren!" Weiss exclaims, getting off of Ruby, who finally gets off the grass, running towards Yang. "Sis!"

"Ruby!" Yang exclaims, hugging her sister. "What happened?!"

"Well..."

" _Yeeeeeeeee-hawwwwwwww!!!_ " Looking up, the group can see a Nevermore...

And someone _riding_ the Nevermore. Yang balked. Ruby sighs.

"Nora?!" Ren shouts, still being chased by a giant scorpion.

"Rennie! Woah-"

Finally, after much trial and error, the Nevermore finally shakes off the human trying to control it, leaving it free to continue murdering anything with a heartbeat.

Of course, with Nora suddenly free-falling, gravity might have stolen the Grimm's kill...

If Blake hadn't used Gambol Shroud to grapple to a tree and save the _insane_ girl.

Landing next to the group, the crazy, grimm-riding girl with them, all is quiet.

Then Ren is launched towards the group, the Deathstalker apparently having caught up.

"Great." Yang exclaims. "The gang's all here. Now we can die together!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might make a new fic, might not. It's a surprise that may or may not deprive me of sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry Jaune. Sorry Arkos. Sorry JNPR.
> 
> I'll update Two Souls soon!


End file.
